As part of our continued effort to digitize our, and some other friends, older race related photos,slides and films, here are some pics from the LONG BEACH GRAND PRIX from the late 1970’s through the early 1980’s. At the time we were living in Southern California and were able to attend a number of the races from its early inception by Chris Pook and Dan Gurney when it was a Formula 5000 Race and then through F1, to Indy Cars. Also there are a few pics from when we ran an exhibition race with fellow IKF Karters and the crazy Aussie Sidecar Motorcycles in 1981.
This is the brief You-Tube video/post from few months back of some of the shots from that now iconic event in Long Beach,California….
As always………TACH IT UP….!!!
World Champion Alan Jones puts the Williams F1 through the Hairpin…
Giles Villeneuve in the ’79 F1 Ferrari 312 T4
Didier Pironi in 1982 after Giles had been killed.
This is a fascinating glimpse into the history of the Long Beach Grand Prix! The photos and stories from the late 1970s and early 1980s really capture the essence of that era in motorsport. It’s incredible to see how the event evolved from Formula 5000 to F1 and Indy Cars. The inclusion of the exhibition race with IKF Karters and Aussie Sidecar Motorcycles adds a unique touch. How did the local community react to these events back then?
As I remember it, the local community was pretty much all behind it as most of that area was a blighted part of Long Beach and the races spurred on lots of redevelopment that the docking of the Queen Mary ad kind of started. The center of the track was just some old vacant and derelict property where the big hotel is now and Shoreline Drive had just been updated with some landscape islands etc etc. And also the track ran up the hill to LB Blvd which was the main straight and the pits were located along that area of old downtown……
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